Dorsett named Principal of the Year

Jason Dorsett has been named the Mount Airy City Schools (2023-2024 Principal of the Year.

At a recent Board of Education meeting, he was announced to a full room of students, staff, and community members. As Mount Airy High School’s principal since 2018, “he has led a talented and hard-working staff through the pandemic and post-pandemic learning loss of students,” city school officials said. Last year, Mount Airy High School met growth goals and led Mount Airy City Schools to be first in the state for NC Math 3, tenth in the state for English 2, and seventh in the state for overall proficiency on high school end-of-course exams.

The school also received the 2024 Lighthouse School Award from the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. This award is given to schools that “innovatively and creatively increase achievement for students.”

“We are very proud to name Jason Dorsett as our Principal of the Year,” said Superintendent Dr. Phillip Brown. “With 25 years of experience, he leads a school known to be top in the region and state in academics and athletics. He is known for ‘getting in the middle’ of what’s going on in the school as a means of staying connected. Students are at the center of his decision-making, and it shows in all of the school’s successes.”

Dorsett is a Mount Airy High School graduate. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Methodist University and his Master of School Administration from Appalachian State University. He is married to Angel Dorsett and is the father of Christopher, Evan, Elizabeth, and Caroline. His career in education began in 1999 as a fourth-grade teacher in Surry County Schools.

Dorsett began serving students in Mount Airy City Schools in 2007 as the assistant principal of Mount Airy High School. Since 2012, he has been the principal of Jones Intermediate School, where he was named the 2014 Wells Fargo District Principal of the Year. In 2016, he became the chief operations officer of Mount Airy City Schools. He returned to Mount Airy High School in 2018 as interim principal, accepted the role of principal the following year, and has been working with high school students, staff, and families since.

Dorsett shared, “It is an honor and privilege to represent Mount Airy City Schools as Principal of the Year. Every day at Mount Airy High School, I have the opportunity to work with the best students, staff, and school community in the state. I also have the privilege of working alongside tremendous colleagues all across our district. Each day is a blessing, as together, we are able to do our very best for kids. I’m extremely proud of our growth, continued success, and the opportunities provided for our students.”